Help me manage this work situation!

Worst possible combination: New senior boss, male, has already triggered my 'suspected misogyny' spider sense a few times and New female junior staffer with severe confidence issues - I don't work with her directly but would, going by gut feeling, assess her as 'decent, with the potential to actually be good'.

She's had some feedback from a client for the very first time recently and has - due to what I suspect is her rather severe self-esteem issue paired with an unfortunate in this case openness - decided to take all her insecurities about the less than glowing parts to the new boss and be panicky about it.

He's now talking about terminating her. I'd give it at least another two months until I'd even consider such a thing if she was really as bad as she herself claims she is ...

I feel personally responsible for a number of reasons - but also very much want her not to stumble over this due to the situation really reading 'woman shooting herself in the foot professionally due to insecurities and senior man reading feeling his pre-existing prejudices about women in senior roles being confirmed.'

And, no, HR is not an option because ... reasons!

So, I'm about to order (not being her direct boss but being more senior) her to not go share her freak-outs about not being good enough with the boss but to woman up and pretend she's not freaking out until she learns actual realistic self-perception.

Sounds like missed opportunities here. It also sounds as though the poor woman willingly gave the boss all he needed to fire her, and suing the company will be hopeless.

If only the boss could have said "You just need a little more experience. Next time you meet a client, we'll have BossyBitch sit in with you, and she'll help you deal with it." Or something like that. Help people feel good about themselves and their situation, don't let them cut their own throats.

As for the incompetent men, they may or may not know how useless they are, but they sure as hell aren't going to talk about it.